By Ronnie Nathanielsz

Former title challenger Bert Batawang gets another chance to go for a world title when he clashes with former IBF champion Ulises Solis in a title eliminator in Mexico on March 6.

Well known Filipino promoter Sammy Gell-ani informed BoxingScene.com, insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports that should Batawang win he will earn a mandatory title shot against newly crowned champion Carlos Tamara of Colombia who won the title last Saturday with a stunning 12th round TKO over a totally exhausted champion Brian Viloria in Solar Sports “Collision Course” at the Cuneta Astrodome.

Viloria himself had won the title with a spectacular 11th round knockout of Solis at the famed Araneta Coliseum on April 19 last year.

In an official communication to promoter Fernando Beltran of Zanfer Promotions, IBF Championship Committee chairman Lindsey Tucker said “ The IBF has granted tentative sanction approval for the IBF Jr. Flyweight Eliminator fight for No.1 between No. 3 Ulises Solis and No. 9 Bert Batawang. The bout is scheduled for March 6, 2010 in Mexico. Formal sanction approval will be granted once we get the contracts and the site location in Mexico.”

Tucker added “ Once you send in the contracts, IBF president Marian Muhammad or her designee will contact you regarding the sanctioning fees and the names of the officials.”

The Batawang-Solis eliminator will in fact be a rematch as Solis scored a 9th round TKO over the Filipino veteran in a December 15, 2007 title fight after Solis earlier scored an 8th round TKO win over Rodel Mayol who is the reigning WBC world champion having won the title with a 2nd round TKO over Edgar Sosa in Mexico.

Since his loss to Solis which he blamed on a rib injury early in the fight, Batawang has won four of his last five fights. The only loss being a 7th round TKO at the hands of promising Edren Dapudong for the WBO Oriental light flyweight title on April 25, 2009.

The 38 year old Batawang recovered from that setback to win the vacant WBO Asia Pacific title with a 5th round knockout of Indonesia’s Jack Amisa on November 8, 2009 said he has already begun training for the fight and wants to avenge his defeat to Solis in their first meeting..

Solis, on the other hand, recovered from his loss to Viloria by scoring a unanimous eight round decision over Dirceu Cabarca on September 15, 2009.